Experimental Studies on the Transfer of the Lens-induced Uveitis

ABSTRACT

This experiment was performed in an attempt to reproduce lens-induced uveitis in the guinea pigs after the passive transfer of the lymphocytes and the serum from animals sensitized to the souble lens protein. Hyperimmune serum and the regional lymph nodes were collected from ten guinea pigs previously immunized with the soluble protein of the beef lenses in complete Freund's adjuvant in four sequences at intervals of one week. The lymph nodes were excised and filtered through a fine mesh and sedimented by centrifugation. Cell concentrations were measured and adjusted so that the final transfer population contained approximately 2 ~ 3 X 10(5) cells in 0.1ml saline. The fresh lymphocytes and the serum were transferred to normal healthy guinea pigs by subconjunctival injection in five sequences at intervals of one week. Then the lenses were perforated by Ziegler's knife, and the eyes were examined clinically and enucleated for histological study at various intervals. The characteristic pictures of the reactions found in the series were summerized as follows; 1) Lymphocytes transferred group(18 eyes). Seven of the 18 eyes(38 9%) developed clinical signs of uveitis on the 5th day and reached peak on the 10th day following needling, and then subsided slowly. The inflammation was characterized by the presence of limbal hyperemia, congestion of the iris, cells and flare in the anterior chamber, and small clusters of fibrin around the lens. Twelve of the 18 eyes (66.7%) showed histological evidence of uveitis. The reactions showed that the polymorphonuclear leucocytes were predominant initially, and in later lymphoidal stage, many small and large lymphocytes predominate with the infiltration of the plasma cells. eosinophils, occasionally the epitheloid cells and fibroblasts in the iris stroma, ciliary body. anterior choroid and around the lens. 2) Serum transferred group(8 eyes). 0.1ml of hyperimmune serum were in jected in 8 eyes in the same manner. Two of the 8 eyes showed clinical signs of uveitis but histologically one revealed mild mononuclear cell infiltration in the anterior part of the uvea and around the lens. 3) Control group (8 eyes) The lymphocytes and the serum taken from the animals immunized only with complete Freund's adjuvant in saline were prepared in the same manner and transferred to 8 eyes. All of the 8 eyes revealed no definite reaction in clinical and histolological studies except the transient traumatic inflammatory reaction. Thus it can be considered that the experimental lens-induced uveitis in the guinea pigs can be transferred to normal healthy animals via hyperimmune lymphocytes and the histologic findings a re similar to endophthalmitis phacoanaphy lactica in human.